


Misguided Ghosts

by ninash



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alive Hale Family, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - No Hale Fire, BAMF Stiles, F/M, Fetus Derek, Hale Family Feels, Kevin Hale - Freeform, M/M, Peter is a Little Shit, Shannon Hale, Thea Hale, Time Travel, Young Laura Hale, Young Peter Hale, everybody loves stiles, ghost wolves, pregnant talia hale, shannon was only allowed to birth one child, stiles wasn't even born yet, the hale familia is awesome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-26
Updated: 2017-04-26
Packaged: 2018-10-24 03:33:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10733280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ninash/pseuds/ninash
Summary: Stiles was hoping that his summer before his senior year would be uneventful but no the supernatural hierarchies can't leave Beacon Hills alone, can they? Stiles gets lead into the woods by a ghost wolf but what's the most a ghost can do, a lot apparently because here he is, 18-year-old Stiles, in the friggin past. What's the first rule of time travel? Don't change the past. Stiles never was one to follow the rules.





	Misguided Ghosts

Asking for just one, one, summer with no supernatural problems was apparently too much to ask. Stiles wants to blame someone but doesn’t know who. Scott was off being happy with the rest of the pack and what was Stiles doing you ask? Well, he was currently following a ghost wolf into the preserve because why not? No, seriously.

Scott wanted to have one last pack night with everyone before they went off to do whatever they did with their summer. They were supposed to meet at a pizza joint and Stiles had been on his way. Driving on a deserted road as the sun was setting and something darted out in front of the jeep. He cursed and jerked the wheel to the side and nearly missed the creature. His jeep had swerved off the road and was idling in the grass off the side of the road. Stiles took a deep breath and shook his head. Looking up whatever it was he had almost hit was now sitting on the hood of his jeep. 

“Holy fuck.” Stiles hissed under his breath as he flinched back into his seat. It was a wolf. A really weird looking wolf, something was off with it. It tilted its head at Stiles and huffed at him. 

“All right.” Stiles took his hands off the wheel and raised them in surrender. The wolf huffed again and jumped off the hood. Now standing off to the side of the jeep. 

“Stiles you are not going to get out of this jeep. You are going to ignore it and you are going to drive away.” Stiles let his hand fall onto the gear shift as a pawing sound came from against his door. 

“Fine!” With a rough jerked he threw the jeep into park and turned it off. Pulling the keys from the ignition and shoving them into his pocket as he climbed out of the jeep. He stared at the wolf that was sitting back on its haunches and staring up at him.

“Happy now?” He threw his hands up exasperated. The wolf huffed at him and stood up, turning and heading towards the woods that were the outskirts of the preserve. The wolf's tail swishing as it walked. 

“No. Nope. I am not going in there. Not happening wolfie.” Stiles shook his head and his arms flew in the air adamantly. The wolf gave him a bored look which oddly reminded Stiles of Derek, who was god knows where. 

“If you get me killed I swear.” Stiles mumbled under his breath as he followed after the wolf. 

A few minutes in and Stiles realized what had bothered him about the wolf. It was a ghost. Or at least that’s what Stiles assumed because the wolf had walked directly through a tree that Stiles just barely managed to avoid walking into. The ghost wolf glanced back at him and tilted its head before it continued to walk. 

“Where are you leading me oh wise one?” Stiles pulled the sides of his flannel closer to him. The woods still creeped him out. Too many bad memories. The wolf ignored him and continued walking. 

Every few minutes the wolf's form would blur and Stiles could see through it before returning to a solid form. The wolf was a dark brown with a small patch of fur missing on the underside of its belly. Stiles wondered if it was actually a werewolf. He didn't have long to ponder the idea when the wolf hopped up onto a tree stump and sat down facing him. He shook his head and realized that it wasn’t just a stump, it was what was left of the Nemeton. 

“You’re kidding me, right? Are you some evil ghost wolf that just led me to my demise?” Stiles took a step back and the wolf growled. Its lips pulled back in a snarl and Stiles could see pearly white fangs. He swallowed hard and took two steps forward. 

“Listen, me and this tree don’t exactly get along well so I would really appreciate it if you’d let me leave.” The wolf picked up one of its paws before setting it back down on the stump. Staring him down. 

“Cause of death; being lead to an evil tree stump by a ghost wolf. Now there’s a kicker.” Stiles mumbled as he shuffled forward. 

The closer he got to the stump the thicker the air got. A sweat broke out across his skin and by the time he was standing within touching distance he was breathing hard. He looked from the wolf to the stump and back to the wolf. Who only watched him with an indifferent look. Stiles let out a deep sigh before he bent down and laid his hand flat on the stump. A sharp gasp tore through him. The wood hummed under his fingers. A warmth spreading up his arm and across his chest. Not an uncomfortable feeling but definitely not natural. Before he could pull his hand away a bright light flashed and caused Stiles to cover his eyes. The next thing he knew he was unconscious. 

 

Stiles's mouth was dry and tasted like dirt. That was because he did, in fact, have dirt in his mouth. He pushed up onto his knees and spat out the mouthful. Rubbing his tongue on the sleeve of his shirt. 

“Yuck.” He spat a few more times before he had gotten all the dirt out. 

Stiles rocked back onto his butt and looked around. He was still in the preserve that was sure but he didn’t see the Nemeton anywhere. Maybe he had walked a bit before he had passed out. Whatever it was it was the next morning because the sun was high in the sky and he was sweating. He pulled his flannel off and tied it around his waist as he stood up. His shirt was covered in dirt as was the front of his jeans. He did his best to brush off the worst of it, plucking a few twigs from his hair. 

“Okay. You know this preserve. You and Scott grew up getting lost in here. You know that the river is the way,” Stiles pointed behind him, “the old distillery is that way,” Stiles looked to his left, “the Hale house should be that way,” Stiles looked to his right, “ which means the town is this way.” Stiles started walking the way he had been facing. 

An hour of walking Stiles had to stop and sit down on a fallen log. He was huffing and puffing and the bridge of his nose and tops of his cheeks were starting to burn. Stiles forgot how easily he burned in the summer. He used his shirt to wipe the sweat off his face before he stood up and continued walking. Why oh why had he left his phone in his jeep? Why was that ever a good idea? He shook his head and kicked at a pinecone. There was a break in the woods up ahead and he walked just a touch faster. 

Turns out the town was probably to the right because Stiles was currently staring at the Hale house. A still standing Hale house. A very unburnt Hale house. 

“What the fuck?” Slipped out of his mouth before he could even use his brain. 

The house was indeed beautiful. It was a huge two-story rancher with a large porch. A small pebbled driveway. Three cars were parked in the driveway in front of an attached two car garage. There was a porch swing with cushions on it and little kids toys spread out on the porch. A soccer ball left abandoned in the grass. Stiles couldn’t see the back yard from where he was standing. 

“This can’t be real.” Stiles whispered but found himself slowly walking towards the house. The stairs creaked a bit as he walked up them. His eyes still wide as he reached a hand up and knocked on the door. 

Talia Hale answered the door. A pregnant Talia Hale. She had to be around six or seven months pregnant. Her stomach jutting out in front of her and right hand resting on her belly. The other hand holding the door open. 

“Can I help you?” She asked in a soft voice. 

“Woah, pregnant werewolf.” Stiles mumbled under his breath and really he was at a house full of werewolves with supernatural hearing. He should not have been surprised that in the next second he was on his back, kids toy digging painfully into his spin with a young Peter Hale choking him. Snarling in his face. Stiles choked and clawed at Peter’s hand who only tightened his grip. Little black dots started clouding his vision.

“Not...hunter.” Stiles choked out. But apparently, his word wasn’t good enough. 

Stiles had once asked Allison to teach him a few things in case he ever needed to defend himself. She had been all too willing and well she knew how to fight a werewolf so really. Stiles was able to tuck his knee up and kick up at Peter’s stomach. At the same time, Stiles shoved his hand up and he’s pretty sure he just broke Peter’s nose. The werewolf recoiled and coughed. His hands flew to his nose to snap it back into place. Stiles rolled over and braced himself on his forearms and heaved air into his burning lungs. He choked on the air and sputtered. His throat burning as he rubbed it. Stiles turned his head and shuffled back when Peter advanced for him again.

“Peter.” Talia called from where she stood just in the house. Said wolf stopped and turned back to her. A confused look on her face. 

“I don’t think he’s a hunter.” She raised a brow at her brother who turned and scowled at Stiles. 

“He still knows.” He growled out but moved back to the porch. Stiles stood up and rubbed his throat.

“Yeah.” He coughed and his voice was rough. “Cause I’ve spent the past three year’s dealing with the supernatural and werewolves are exhibit A.” Stiles coughed again and cleared his throat. “But no, not a hunter. Know some, though, bad company.” Stiles snarled looking up at the two Hales. 

“What’s going on?” And that had to be Papa Hale. He stepped up next to Talia and wrapped an arm around her waist. The other going to cover her hand still resting on her bump. 

“Names Stiles and I’m pretty sure I just time traveled.” 

 

The Hale family were really really nice. Makes Stiles wonder what happened to Derek. Stiles immediately frowns, oh yeah. They all died. Talia had called off Peter and asked Stiles to come in. Papa Hale, Kevin, had gone and gotten him a bag of frozen peas for his throat. 

“We don’t keep ice packs. Ninety percent of the pack are werewolves.” Kevin offered him a smile and handed the bag to him. 

“Don’t I know it.” Stiles smiled back and held the bag to his already bruising neck. Kevin gave him a strange look but walked back to Talia’s side. 

Talia was sitting on the middle seat of a large sectional in the Hale family living room. Kevin sat down next to her and Peter stood at the end of the couch watching Stiles closely. 

“Stiles was it?” Talia asked absentmindedly rubbing her stomach. 

“Yeah. That’s me.” Stiles nods his head. 

Just then the front door flies open and what Stiles assumes is the rest of the Hale family pouring in. A little girl runs around the couch and splays herself across Kevin's lap.

“Daddy!” She squeals and makes grabby hands at him. He pulls her up and sits her in his lap. 

Another woman walks in with a two-year-old boy bouncing on her hip. She eyes Stiles before walking over to Kevin and Talia. The little girl pulls away from Kevin and pushes herself in between Talia and her husband. The girl hands the boy to Kevin. Another two walk in, a man and woman holding hands. They laugh about something before a silence falls over the living room. All eyes on Stiles. 

“The rest of the pack I assume.” Stiles says it more to himself but hello, werewolves. 

Stiles can’t help but stare. He had seen a picture of a young teenage Derek with Talia so he recognized her but the rest of them. He had read the file. So many of his family members had burned alive. Derek really looked like his mom but he got his height from his dad. Peter was Peter, just younger. The little girl had to be Laura Hale, her cut in half body flashing in Stiles mind. Which makes the boy Philip Hale, Derek’s older brother. The two women were Talia and Peter’s sisters and the man was married to one of them. Talia had to of been pregnant with-

“Oh my god.” A hand flew up and covered his mouth. She was pregnant with Derek. Okay, this was getting weird. 

“What is it?” The woman who came in with the man asked.

“Nothing. I’m just really confused as to how I got here.” Stiles shook his head and winced, the action hurting his neck. He shifted the peas and pressed them to a different section of his neck.

“Who are you?” Baby Laura asked. Stiles smiled at her. She had climbed off the couch and was now standing in front of where he sat in an armchair. 

“Laura.” Peter growled out. Laura made a face at Peter. 

“Uncle Peter mom says we aren’t supposed to growl at people.” Laura chastises him. Stiles laughs because oh my god. 

“It’s okay. Your uncle just doesn’t like me.” Stiles smiles down at the little girl. 

“But why? You smell like pack.” Laura tilts her head and an image of the ghost wolf tilting its head flashes in his mind. Laura looks like she’s about to crawl into his lap when on of her aunts comes over and scoops her up. 

“Sorry about that.” 

“No big deal.” Stiles waves her off. 

“My niece was right, though. You do smell like pack. I’d like to know why.” The woman’s eyes flit to Talia before looking back at Stiles. 

“Right uh. Like I said earlier, I think I time traveled. What year is this anyway?” Stiles stares back at the Hale family. They are silent before Talia speaks up. 

“1992.” She offers him with a slight incline of her head.

“Oh my god. I haven't even been born yet. Jesus.” Which yeah if Derek was still fetal then Stiles definitely hasn’t been born yet but still. 

“And what year are you from?” Kevin asks shifting Philip in his arms. 

“2016.” Stiles lets his hand holding the peas drop into his lap. They’re melting anyway. But his mom. His mom is still alive. She’s healthy and alive. The wolves can sense the deep sadness coming from Stiles in waves and the next thing he knows Talia is crying. 

“It’s nothing, just pregnancy hormones. I’m more sensitive to emotions.” She puts her hand up to stop Kevin from fussing. 

“Sorry.” Stiles offers lamely and Talia shakes her head at him. 

“How can we trust you?” Peter is less tense than earlier but still the ever doubtful.

“Um. I don’t know if this helps but you’re pregnant with a boy right?” Stiles looks from Peter to Talia and Kevin. Talia nods her head. Rubbing her stomach with a small smile on her lips. 

“You’re gonna name him Derek.” Stiles crosses his ankles in front of him and drops the bag of peas onto the floor. Kevin’s eyes widen before he lets out a short laugh.

“Time travel you say. So you know us in the future?” The woman with the man asks. 

“Not exactly.” Stiles shakes his head. 

“But you know about werewolves.” The other woman says. 

What’s the first rule of time travel? You do not change the past. You follow history until you're back to the present. Stiles had seen The Butterfly Effect which then led to two hours of research on the topic. 

“I really shouldn’t say much about the future right? If I say too much it could change the future I come from?” Stiles wasn’t sure if they would take that as an answer but he wasn’t wrong. 

“He’s right.” The man who had come in with one of Talia’s sisters said. 

“We should call Alan.” Kevin looked at Talia who looked thoughtful. 

“Deaton! Of course, why didn’t I think of that.” Stiles knocked himself on the head. 

“You know Alan Deaton?” Peter asked.

“Yeah. Veterinarian by day, cryptic emissary by night.” Stiles smirked at Peter who smiled and rolled his eyes.

“I like him.” The woman said looking at him. 

“Right, I'm Stiles.” He gave a short wave. 

“Thea and this is my boyfriend Lincoln.” Thea smacked a wet kiss on Lincoln’s face who smiled fondly at her. 

“Shannon.” The other sister said. 

Stiles nodded his head and watched the Hale’s move. Peter took Philip from Kevin who helped Talia stand and the three of them disappeared into the house to call Deaton. Shannon had finally released Laura who ran towards Stiles and clamored up into his lap. 

“I’m sorry about her. She's so rambunctious.” Shannon moved to pulled her niece away again when Stiles waved her off. 

“It’s fine. I don’t mind.” Stiles helped Laura up and she sat in his lap staring up at him. Stiles made a face at her and she giggled. She let her head drop to rest against his chest, against his heart. A few minutes past and Talia, Kevin and Peter walked back into the living room. Laura was asleep. How his erratic heart put her to sleep he’ll never know.

“Deaton will be over tonight.” Talia smiled at down at her daughter and ran a hand through her hair. Laura mumbled in her sleep and curled tighter on Stiles. 

Thea had taken Laura upstairs and laid her down for a nap. Kevin doing the same with Philip. Shannon and Peter had stayed in the living room with Stiles. Shannon striking up small talk. Lincoln had grabbed the bag of peas and returned them to the freezer. Bringing Stiles a bag of frozen corn. Stiles learned that Kevin wasn’t the only human in the pack but that Thea was also human. That it was a surprise to everyone that she was a human and then a year later Shannon was born a wolf. Stiles knew that in the future all three Hale siblings were married and had kids. Stiles tried to keep his emotions in check but could see the slight shift in the wolves faces that they could smell them. Stiles simply offered them a small smile and shook his head. As pre said, Deaton arrived around six. Talia opened the door for him and his eyes meet Stiles. 

“Time travel.” Deaton’s brows rose high. Stiles pursed his lips and nodded his head. Standing from his seat. Deaton was weird like that. Always knowing what was going on before anyone said anything. 

“That’s, very, rare.” Deaton walked into the kitchen and sat his bag down on the kitchen table. 

“Yeah, kinda shocked me too.” Stiles offered following after him. Deaton paused from where he was rifling through his bag and looked back at Stiles. The rest of the pack standing around the kitchen. 

“You mean you didn’t travel on purpose?” Deaton pulled his hands out of the bag and let them drop to his sides and turned to stare at Stiles. 

“Nope.” Stiles shoved his hands into his pockets and popped the ‘p’. 

“Well, this complicates things.” Deaton murmured and went back to his bag.

“What do you mean Alan?” Talia asked. 

“There are very few recorded incidents of time travel. If it had been a spell or a potion I would have known the counteract for it but if he isn’t the one who initiated the travel then I'm afraid I don’t have a solution.” Deaton shook his head and closed his bag. 

“Stiles are you sure you didn’t do this?” Thea asked with her brows drawn together. Turns out the dramatic eyebrows were a Hale thing. 

“Afraid not.” Stiles shook his head. 

“How did you get here then?” Shannon asked sitting on a stool that went to the island counter next to the kitchen table. Stiles scratched the back of his head and raised his shoulders then let them drop. 

“I was heading to meet my friends when this wolf almost made me crash my jeep. I followed it into the preserve, turns out it was a ghost, which was weird like I've seen rogue alphas and feral omegas and kanimas and crazy hunters, even a kitsune. But that was my first ghost. Ghosty lead me to the Nemeton and when I touched it there was a bright white light and boom, here I am.” Stiles had gestured wildly with his hands.

“You said the Nemeton?” Deaton raised a brow. Looking Stiles up and down with a scrutinizing brow. 

“Yeah, you know. Evil stump in the middle of the words. Like waiting for a bad punchline.” Stiles waved his hand back and forth. 

Deaton looked over at Talia who had a confused look on her face and oh. Okay, so that must mean they had yet to cut the tree down which Stiles should have remembered because Paige hadn’t happened yet. 

“Ah crap.” Stiles shook his head. 

“Regardless of what Stiles has said if the Nemeton is responsible for this then all we can do is let things run its path. Whatever the reason Stiles was sent back to this time once things have run their course the Nemeton will send him back.” Deaton nodded his head and went back to his bag. He drew out a small bottle that contained light purple pills. 

“You said you were still feeling nauseous? Once a day until the nausea goes away.” Deaton handed the bottle to Talia and saw himself out of the house. The Hale pack was silent.

“What did I say, cryptic as all hell.” Stiles tutted and shook his head. Peter snorted. 

“Well then. Stiles, I guess you’ll be staying with us.” Kevin smiles and gestured for Stiles to follow him. Kevin showed him to one of the guest rooms and told him there was a shower en-suite he was more than welcomed to use. 

“I don’t really have any clothes.” Stiles gestured down to his still dirt covered clothes.

“You and Peter look to be around the same size. I’ll get you some of his clothes.” Kevin left the room and closed the door. 

Stiles sighed and stripped out of his dirty clothes. He adjusted the water too hot until steam started to fill the bathroom. He scrubbed the dirt and grime off his skin. Brushed against the scars his skin carried from the past three years. He ran his blunt nails across the scar on his shoulder from the shard of glass that had been there. Stiles reaches back and feels the scar from Donovan on the back of his shoulder. They were all proof that he had survived. That they had survived. Shaky fingers trace the kanji branded behind his ear. Shaking his head he finishes up his shower. When he goes back to the room there's a pair of basketball shorts and an old Beacon Hills High t-shirt there for him, along with a new pack of boxers. He dresses quickly and goes downstairs. Thea is standing in front of the stove with a skillet raised above her head like she’s about to beat someone with it. Stiles leans against the island watching her.

“What are you doing?” He asks. 

“Jesus!” She whirls around and looks at Stiles with wide eyes. The skillet crossed over her chest. 

“You're as bad as the wolves.” She tsk’s him. She glances back at the stove and Stiles can see there's food spread out on top the counter. 

“Well, you know what they say when you run with wolves. What are you making?” He asks sitting down on the stool and resting his head on his fist. 

“Well Talia has been nauseous the past week, she always gets queasy the last two months, and I wanted to make something to help with it. But I'm not the best in the kitchen and I’m not really sure what will help.” Thea admits setting the skillet down on the stove. 

“Homemade chicken noodle is good. The broth helps with nausea.” Stiles offers. Thea turns and gives him a look.

“How do you know that?” She asks walking to the fridge and pulling out a large packet of chicken. 

“My best friends mom is a nurse. For a while she worked in the maternity ward and she was always looking into homeopathic ways to help mothers to be. I was young but not that young. I remembered.” He smiles and looks down at his hands. 

“Yeah? That was nice of her.” Thea smiles at him as she rinses the chicken and starts to cut it into small cubes. 

“Do you want some help?” Stiles stands from the stool.

“You know how to make homemade chicken noodle soup?” Thea looks over at him, knife raised in hand. 

“Oh, I am a beast at making homemade chicken noodle.” Stiles presses a hand to his chest in mock offense. 

By the time everything is prepped and in the pot ready to be cooked Stiles has Thea laughing so hard she’s bent over and red in the face. She’s clutching at the counter with one hand and the other hand is pressed into her stomach. Stiles is sporting a wide grin and leaning against the counter drying a knife. 

“What are you two getting up two?” Shannon walks into the kitchen holding a sleepy-eyed Laura. Who makes grabby hands at Stiles when she sees him. Stiles slides the knife into the block and walks over to take Laura from Shannon. 

“Stiles was telling me about the first time he tried to make chili.” Thea stands up straight and is wiping tears from her eyes. Shannon looks over at Stiles as she pulls out a container of yogurt from the fridge. Stiles bounces Laura on his hip and makes noises at her. 

“The pot blew up and ruined our kitchen. We were still finding chili in places a few months later.” Stiles says in a kid voice as he moves Laura higher up on his hip. 

“How old were you?” Shannon asks as she pulls out a little mermaid bowl from a cabinet, spooning yogurt into it. 

“Nine.” Stiles looks over at Shannon and smiles. She hums as she cuts up an apple and sticks the slices into the yogurt and pulls out a kid’s plastic spoon. Stiles sits down at the head of the table with Laura in his lap and Shannon sit’s in the seat diagonal of it. She puts the bowl down in front of Laura who eagerly starts eating. 

“How long should I put the timer on for?” Thea asks from the kitchen as Lincoln walks in. He walks over to The and wraps his arms around her waist and nuzzles her neck. 

“Half an hour should be good. Make sure it’s on medium.” Stiles turns back to Laura who is poking his cheek with an apple slice. He twists and catches the slice in his mouth and munches on it. Laura giggles and goes back to eating. Thea and Lincoln walk over to the table and sit down. 

“You’re good with her.” Shannon smiles and runs a hand over Laura’s head. 

“I love kids. I spent a lot of time in the hospital growing up and there’s only so much an ADHD-ridden child can stand in one wing so I would wander a lot. I spent a lot of time up in the maternity ward. The whole hospital staff knew me.” Stiles chuckles at the memory. A twinge of sadness coiled in his chest at the memory of his mom. Laura poked at his neck and he was brought out of his musings. 

“You and the poking missy.” Stiles grins down at her and starts tickling her sides. She squeals and wiggles trying to get away but Stiles has a good hold on her. Talia and Kevin walk into the kitchen then. Kevin carrying a newly awaken Philip. 

“Something smells delicious.” Talia smiles at them and places a hand on Thea’s shoulder. 

“Homemade chicken noodle soup. Stiles and I made it, should be done soon.” Thea nods her head. Kevin steps into the kitchen to prepare a meal for Philip. Talia hums and rubs her belly.

“It’s good for the nausea.” Stiles offers as Laura lets out a small burp and giggles. Talia offers him a small smile and a nod of her head. 

“Where’s Peter?” Shannon asks looking over her shoulder at Kevin and Talia.

“Probably off brooding.” Thea snickers. 

“So that’s where he get’s it from.” Stiles mutters under his breath. But, hello, werewolves. All eyes swivel to him and stare. 

“Sorry.” Stiles waves a hand. The other locked around Laura’s waist. 

The timer on the stove goes off and Thea stands, places a kiss on Lincoln’s forehead, and walks into the kitchen. Turning off the timer and uncovering the large pop. She stirs the soup and hums happily. Shannon takes Laura from Stiles who stands and stretches. Lincoln walks into the kitchen and helps Thea get out bowls and spoons. 

“Yo creeper wolf! Dinner!” Stiles yells down the hall and moves into the kitchen. Thea bursts out laughing and Shannons snorts. Laura’s high pitched giggle follows soon after. Lincoln smirking into his bowl and Kevin and Talia smiling. Peter stalks into the kitchen with a frown on his face. Stiles shoves a bowl full of soup into his hands. Peter makes a surprised noise but walks over to the table and sits down. The rest of the pack move to the table. Talia sitting in the chair Stiles had been. Laura in Shannon’s lap and Philip seated in a highchair. Laura stays in Shannon’s lap for a few minutes before climbing over Peter and settling in Stiles lap. 

“She really has taken a shining to you.” Talia smiles at Stiles. 

“What can I say? I’m a likable guy.” Stiles smirks and spoons soup into his mouth. Peter snorts and shakes his head. 

The rest of dinner is filled with small talk and quiet laughs. Stiles sat back and watched it all. Thinking this is how Derek grew up. Maybe with a few more people at the table but this was Derek’s life. Stiles smiles to himself and thinks about the rest of the pack. About Kira and Liam. About the people they’ve lost. Erica, Boyd, and Allison. He wonders if maybe he was sent back to change his future. To stop all the bad things that happen. It's a tempting thought.

“Stiles thank you very much. It was delicious.” Talia smiles at him. Kevin is stacking bowls as he goes down the table. Shannon stands and takes the rest. The two moving into the kitchen to wash dishes.

“No problem.” He offers her a half smile and looks down at Laura who is playing with his hands. 

“You miss them?” Thea asks from across the table. Stiles looks up at her.

“I may not be a werewolf but I can still tell when someone looks like their world is falling apart.” Thea gives him a pointed look. Lincoln takes her hand and laces their fingers together. 

And maybe she's right. But maybe his world feel apart when that sword was driven through Allison. Or when his own hand twisted the katana in Scott's stomach. Stiles isn't sure when his world started falling apart, can probably trace it back to the ice bath him, Scott and Allison took to save their parents. But Stiles thinks he's doing a good job of putting himself back together. 

“Yeah. Yeah, I miss them.” Stiles nods his head and swallows hard. A hand squeezes his shoulder and he's surprised to see it's Peter. Thea and Shannon crowd in on him and squeeze him in a tight hug. Shannon pets his head and Thea rubs his back. 

“You'll see them again.” Comes from Talia. It's not a promise. But Stiles will take it. 

 

Three weeks pass by like the blink of an eye. Stiles settles in easily with the Hale family. Even Peter comes around. He and Thea in the kitchen becomes the new normal. With Talia being pregnant, Shannon is usually with Laura and Philip. Kevin has been glued to Talia since the other day when she had some Braxton Hicks contractions. Peter does in fact brood around the house. Usually found in the family room staring at a wall or hauled up the library. Which is where Stiles spends most of his days. They all agreed it probably wouldn’t be a good idea for Stiles to go into town because of the whole time travel thing. The less damage he did while he was there, the better. But the more time he spent in the past the more time he had to think. About all the things he could change. 

It’s a week before the fourth of July when Talia snaps. 

“I’m pregnant for god's sake! Not sick with cancer!” Talia throws her arms up exasperated. She’s wearing a long maxi dress and is standing behind the couch. Kevin standing behind her with his hands half raised. 

“All of you out! Not you Stiles dear, but the rest of you! Go out, go to the park or something.” She shakes her head and moves to sit on the couch. Stiles turns to look at Kevin over his shoulder. 

“I’ll be here. If anything goes wrong, which it won’t, I’ll call you.” Stiles reassure the man. Who in turn nods. 

The rest of the Hale family pack up, they decided on going to the beach. Laura is in a baby blue one piece with pink butterflies on it. A sundress over top it. Her hair is pulled up into twin pigtails and she’s telling Stiles about the last time they went to the beach. Kevin comes downstairs in swim trunks and a t-shirt on with Philip in his arms. Peter is already outside in the car waiting. Kevin is saying his goodbyes to Talia as Thea and Lincoln come downstairs followed by Shannon. Shannon ruffles Stiles's hair as she walks by. 

“Be good child!” She calls as she walks out the door. Stiles yells a right back at ya. 

Talia and Stiles sit in silence for a few minutes before Talia turns on the TV and flicks through the programs. Jungle Book is on and it’s at the part where Blue and Mowgli sing the bear necessities. Stiles is humming the song under his breath and a startled laugh comes from Talia. Stiles fumbles as he pushes onto his feet and is on red alert. Talia is staring down at her stomach with both her hands on the baby bump. 

“He’s kicking. He hasn’t kicked in a while.” Talia says while laughing. Stiles deflates and lets out a breath. 

“Do you want to feel?” She asks looking up at him. Stiles fights a smile but nods his head. 

Stiles moves to sit next to her, angled to face her with one leg bent on the couch cushion. She grabs his hand and moves it onto her stomach. Her hand over top his. She moves his hand around a bit before he feels it. A tiny bump in her stomach as he kicks at Stiles’ hand. Stiles laughs and puts his other hand on her stomach. Derek kicks a few more times before he settles down. When Stiles looks up at Talia she's already smiling down at him. 

In that moment Stiles says fuck the consequences.

“I have some things I want to tell you.” Stiles says as he pulls back his hands. Talia scrunches her brows but nods her head. 

“It’s about the future.” He elaborates. 

“Stiles-” Talia starts. 

“You all die.” 

Talia is stunned and her face shows it. Her head jerked back, mouth open and eyes wide. Her hand's circle around her stomach in a sort of subconscious protection. 

“Derek and Laura survive, so does Peter. But the rest of you all die.” Stiles keeps eye contact with her. Knowing she can hear his heart. Can tell he isn’t lying. 

“How?”

“When Derek is sixteen there’s a woman he meets. Kate Argent. She gets him to trust her and makes him think he’s in love with her. She finds out when all of you guys are home and traps you all inside and burns the house down. Laura and Derek weren’t home and Peter ended up in a coma with third-degree burns, he tried to get you guys out.” Stiles swallows hard and glances down at Talia’s stomach. Her arms still circled around the bump. 

“How didn’t we,” She trails off. 

“I think that maybe you realized Derek was seeing someone and that he was trying to keep it a secret so you just didn’t say anything. You couldn't have known she was a hunter.” Stiles offers. 

“Thank you, Stiles.” Talia says after a few minutes of silence. 

“It’s not-”

“No it is. In the future you come from we’re all dead. My baby is left completely without a pack.” She pauses to rub her stomach. “You might know werewolves but I’m assuming they were all bitten.” Stiles nods. “For them it’s different. The need for a pack isn’t as strong as it is for born wolves. We are born into a pack. It’s the only thing we know. For all that to be ripped away all at once.” She trails off and Stiles can see her eyes glistening with tears. 

“Well, he built a new pack.” Stiles adds before he can really think it through. 

“He becomes an alpha?” Stiles nods and tilts his head. 

“Some things happen and he kills an alpha. He ends up turning three teenagers. All who really did need the bite. They’re good people. Ones you should consider adding to your pack in the future.” 

Stiles gives Talia their names. Isaac, Boyd, and Erica. Telling her why Derek gave them the bite. Why they needed it and how good they are as wolves. He decides to leave out the fact that Erica and Boyd die in his time. He tells her more. About the alpha pack and the kanima, leaving out the Argents. Stiles debates on telling her about the nogitsune but decides not to. 

“I still can’t believe that many alphas are able to stand to be in a pack. It’s unheard of.” Talia shakes her head. They’re in the kitchen now. Stiles making them lunch while she sits at the table listening to him. 

“When Derek is in high school he gets himself a girlfriend named Paige. Around the same time, the alpha pack comes to town to stir up trouble. While your meeting with them one of them goes after Derek to show you their serious. It’s a coincidence but Paige gets hurt and Derek’s kills her out of mercy.” Stiles pauses and turns to look at Talia. Her eyes are wide but her lips are pressed thin. 

“His eyes turn blue but I guess you can guess that. But he took her to the root cellar under the Nemeton. Paige’s death triggers something in the tree and it turns bad. You need to make sure that doesn’t happen.” Stiles' hand traces the kanji burned behind his ear. The scar feels fainter under his fingers. Talia nods her head in understanding. 

Stiles carries two plates to the table and they eat in silence. Talia going over everything he’s told her. Stiles doesn’t regret telling her. But he does wonder what kind of future he’ll go back to. He entertained the idea that he was here to tell them about these things. To stop the fire from happening. That maybe that’s why the Nemeton sent him back. But even after telling the alpha all this he’s still here. 

An hour after lunch the pack comes back. Full of sand and arms full of sleeping kids. Kevin’s back is sunburnt and Thea’s cheeks are pink. They all make their way upstairs to shower. Stiles and Talia had returned to the living room, a random crime show on. Stiles can hear Philip crying from upstairs when they wake him up for a bath. Shannon comes downstairs first. Dressed in a pair of cotton shorts and a white t-shirt that says’ California’ with a rainbow above the words. Her blonde hair is in wild curls. A sleepy-eyed Laura follows her next. She curls up on the couch next to Talia and falls asleep. Shannon grabs a water bottle from the kitchen and walks out onto the porch. Thea and Lincoln come down a few minutes later. Lincoln joining Shannon outside and Thea rummaging in the kitchen. Stiles gets up and wanders into the kitchen

“What’re we doing for dinner?” He asks.

“Kevin said it’d be nice to do a grill out.” Thea throws over her shoulder. She’s pulling out packs of burgers and hot dogs. Depositing them on the counter and then going back to pull out ribs and a few steaks. 

“Man you guys don’t do anything half-assed do you?” Stiles laughs as he pulls down burger and hot dog buns from a cabinet. 

“Not really.” Thea snorts 

It’s weird how well Stiles fits in with them. It’s only been a month and already he has an unmistakable fondness for the family. Even Peter. Who, Stiles never thought he’d be okay with. He notices they way they act around him too. Like when Kevin comes downstairs with wet hair and in a loose t-shirt. A grumpy Philip on his hip. He hands Philip off to Stiles without even a second thought and grabs a water bottle. Taking a few swigs before taking Philip back and going to join Talia and Laura in the living room. Shannon comes back inside to help Thea bring the food out to the grill. When she walks past Stiles she runs her hand against the back of his neck and across his shoulder. Scent marking him. Talia had trusted him enough when she had kicked the pack out for the day. Thea was human but even then, when they were cooking together she’ll throw an arm around his shoulders and knock her head against his. Peter was a lot more subtle about it. Whenever he would walk past Stiles it would just be a gentle brush up against him. He didn’t need to ask. Didn’t need Talia to tell him. They considered him pack. 

The grill out went great. Once the sun was lower in the sky Talia and Kevin came out and joined the rest of them. Lincoln was a self-proclaimed ‘grill master’ so he manned the grill. Stiles and Thea made homemade lemonade. Being with the Hales Stiles learned a lot of their stuff was homemade. The preservatives and fake sugar in factory made stuff bothered the wolves. Laura bounced around the backyard. She spent a lot of time perched in Stiles lap or on his hip as he walked around and filled up glasses. She was currently perched on his hip as he walked into the kitchen to remake a batch. The rest of the pack out back. 

“Stiles?” Laura asked tugging at his hair. 

“Yes little miss?” His eyes were focused on what he was doing. 

“Are you gonna leave soon?” She asked in a small voice. Stiles faltered and dropped a lemon. He turned to look at her. She was looking down at his shoulder. Her chubby fingers playing with the material on his shirt. 

“Why do you ask that?” He adjusts her on his hip. She looked up at him a pursued his lips. 

“I heard mommy and daddy talking last night. They said you were gonna leave.” Laura’s eyes dropped back down to his shirt. Stiles didn’t know what he could say to put the four-year-old at ease. He shifted her on his hip and sat her down on the counter. Taking her small hands in his own. 

“They’re right, I can’t stay. But I'm not gonna be gone forever. You’ll see me again.” He promised her. She nodded her head and looked up at him making grabby hands. He picked her back up and she clung to his front like an octopus. 

He finished making the lemonade with a Laura shaped tumor attached to his front. When he walked back out back Talia met his eyes with a sad smile. He nodded his head at her. He filled up Shannon and Talia’s glasses before he sat down. He listened to the rest of them talk and laugh. So at ease and without worry. Shannon walked around with an old camera in hand. Snapping pictures here and there. 

“Stiles!” He had been mid-stretch when she turned and faced him with the camera. He smiled and she clicked a photo. 

When the food was served Laura scooted off his lap and climbed into Shannon’s seat. They all ate and continued talking and laughing. Stiles hoped this would be the future he returned to. 

The sun was starting to set and Lincoln and Kevin built a fire in their large fire pit. Thea went inside to grab stuff for smores. The rest of them pull up chairs around the fire and settle in. Stiles is sitting on the ground with Laura as Thea comes out with arms full of chocolate, marshmallows and three boxes of graham crackers. Stiles laughs as she stumbles and drops a few things. Lincoln swooping in to help her. They settle in and Shannon is helping Laura with a s'more when Peter stands up and goes inside. Stiles's brows furrow as he looks at Shannon then Talia. 

“What was that about?” He points a sticky finger at where Peter disappeared. Talia smiles at him and tilts her head. 

A gray wolf bounds across the back yard. Stiles chokes on his s’more and spits out graham cracker crumbs. The wolf's body is slim and covered in light gray fur. The top of his back a coat of darker gray. Once he reaches the group he shakes his coat before rubbing up against Laura who is squealing. Grabbing his coat when he licks her face. Once Laura has had her fill, he makes his way around the pack. Rubbing at Shannon and Thea’s legs, even Lincoln. Snuffling at Kevin's neck from where he’s sitting on a blanket with Philip. Peter noses at Philips' face and when the two-year-old giggles he licks his face messily before trotting over to Talia. He rubs at her legs before sniffing at her stomach and bumping his nose on her stomach. Talia smiles down at him and runs her fingers through his coat. Stiles is surprised when the wolf bumbles over to where he’s still sat in the grass. Peter stares at him for a long second before circling next to Stiles and lying down. He nose’s at Stiles' wrist before Stiles lets his hand fall around Peter’s neck. Stiles gives a few cursory rubs before he’s sure Peter isn’t gonna bite his hand off and relaxes. 

“So what was that about?” Stiles asks looking up from the wolf. 

“Peter feels more comfortable as a wolf. He usually shifts a few times a month but with you being here he was being cautious. He must finally be okay with your presence.” Talia tells him in between bites of a Hershey bar. 

“Well thanks, buddy.” Stiles smirks down at Peter who is eyeing him. Stiles turns to him and uses both hands to rub through his coat. Peter’s eyes lull shut and he drops his head down onto his paws. 

It was two days later that their peace was broken. Stiles hadn’t even realized he stopped being so tense. Ready for something to come crashing through the door at any moment's notice. He hadn’t realized he’d stopped always having a plan to fight whatever creature came haul assing into their lives. Not that he had been complaining. But it was nice while it lasted. It was a Thursday, two days before the fourth of July. Lincoln came in through the back door. He and Thea had gone for their daily run through the preserve. He was breathing harder than usual and holding his shoulder. Stiles stood and could now see the arrow in his shoulder. Shannon rushed to his side as he dropped to his knees. 

“What happened?” She hissed looking at his shoulder. 

“Hunter, they were passing through, grabbed Thea.” He huffed out between breaths. 

“I tried to get her but they had up a sound line.” Lincoln growled as Shannon poked at the arrow. Talia was standing in the archway of the kitchen. Her lips pressed into a thin white line. She couldn’t exactly go after Thea herself. Not at eight months pregnant. 

Stiles moved to kneel next to Shannon eyeing the arrow. He’d pulled his fair share of arrows from Scott. 

“Hold him still.” Stiles looked at Shannon who frowned but nodded grabbing at Lincoln’s other shoulder. 

Stiles gripped the arrow and pushed it through until a good portion of the arrow was sticking through the back of his shoulder. Lincoln growled but did his best to hold still. Stiles snapped it just below the fletching. He pressed his palm to the remaining shaft and pushed it. Reaching around and grabbing at the shaft that was coming through his back and ripped the arrow out. He looked closely at the arrowhead. It didn’t look to be covered in any wolfsbane. Usually, when the liquid mixed together with were blood it turned a different color. 

“You’re lucky. There’s no wolfsbane on the arrow.” Stiles stood and tossed the arrow into the trash and washed his hands. He walked around the island to see Shannon pulling away the ripped shirt, the wound already stitching itself back together. 

“I don’t think I want to know why you know how to do that.” Shannon glanced up at him and smirked. She helped Lincoln stand up and he sat down on a stool. 

“What do you want us to do?” Shannon looked over at Talia. Peter was standing at the table, his fists clenched at his sides and jaw set hard. Kevin stood next to Talia. 

“Well, they broke the code.” Stiles offer,s heads swinging to look at him. 

“What?” He asked putting his hands up.

“What do you mean?” Shannon asked. 

“The code. You know, the hunter's code. I mean every organization has their own specific code but they’re all generally the same. They’re only meant to attack if something’s going wrong. Like if a rogue omega kills three humans or something. Thea’s human, yeah she’s in your pack but she’s human. Strike one.” He holds up one finger. “Not to mention Lincoln and Thea were only jogging in the woods. Strike two.” He holds up a second finger. “And a sound line? Are you kidding me? Strike three and four.” He lets his hand drop to his side and shakes his head. 

“How do you know all this?” Lincoln asks incredulously. 

“I said I wasn’t a hunter. That doesn’t mean I don’t know hunters. I’m all too familiar with the way they work. Especially those who go off the deep end.” His hand ghosts’ over the spot on his cheek from where his skin had been bruised from Gerard. 

“They’re probably amateur hunter’s who have way too many toys to play with.” Stiles shrugged a shoulder and crossed his arms over his chest. 

“Alright. Shannon, Peter, and Lincoln. Go track the hunters and get Thea back.” Talia spoke in a hard tone. 

“Woo! Hunting party I’m so in.” Stiles smirked and rubbed his hands together excitedly.

“You’re still only human.” Peter pointed out as he, Lincoln and Shannon moved out the back door. 

“Anybody got a bat?” Stiles asked looking back at Kevin who nodded and disappeared. The three wolves waited while Kevin reappeared with a metal bat. The design had long scratches on it and a small chip of it missing on the rounded handle. Kevin handed it to him and Stiles rolled it in his hands. It was a little heavier than his own bat. He took a practice swing and nodded his head with a smirk. 

“Perfect.”

Stiles was able to keep up with the three werewolves. Surprising them. Hello, he’d been running with wolves for three years. You either ran fast or got left behind. Stiles was not a fan of the later. They found the group of hunters in a clearing, half an hour away from the house. There were five of them, four men and a woman. Thea has on her knees with her arms and legs tied together behind her. A split lip and a bruise on her cheek. She was, however, scowling up at them and sneering. 

“Now that’s no way to treat a lady.” Stiles twirled his bat as the four of them entered the clearing. Peter and Lincoln already shifted in their beta forms. 

“Look, more dogs.” One of the hunters sneered pointing a shotgun at Lincoln. 

“This could end very badly, for you guys of course, not us. But really I'm curious to know how the Calavera’s would feel knowing that some of their hunter’s struck out against their code.” Stiles let the bat touch the ground and leaned against it. He could see the marks on the weapons the hunters had. 

“What the hell are you talking about kid?” The female hunter hissed at him. Raising what looked to be a modified crossbow and aimed it at him. But Stiles looked at the one who appeared to be their leader. A tall built man with a lumberjack’s beard. He had a gun slung across his shoulder and a single handed crossbow in hand. His brows were pinched together and he was scowling at Stiles. 

The hunters gave up quietly. Packed up their stuff with promises to leave the territory. The rest of the group had stared at the leader like he had three heads but no one questioned him. Lincoln ripped through the ropes and pulled her into a long hug. Scenting at her neck and lightly touching her cheek. Constant reassurances that she was fine. They made the way back to the Hale house at a slow walk. Peter running ahead to let Talia and Kevin know everything was okay. Thea and Lincoln were walking in front of Stiles and Shannon. 

“Who are the Calavera’s?” 

“Big hotshot group of hunters in Mexico. We had a run in with them, remembered their brand.” Stiles twirls the bat in his hand. Shannon makes a sound of understanding. The rest of the walk is filled with silence. 

Fourth of July finally arrives. Everyone is sat out back watching the fireworks. Talia grunts and shifts in her seat. A minute later she does it again. Stiles's head tilts and he watches her. Another minute passes and she does it again, her face scrunching up in discomfort. 

“Are you in labor?” He asks putting his hands on the arms of the chair, ready to stand. Talia looks at him and scrunches up her face. Everyone else turns to look at her. Shannon sniffs the air and makes a sound in the back of her throat. She stands up and darts into the house. 

“I’m a whole four weeks early. I shouldn’t be. Laura and Philip were both a week late.” Talia hisses half way through, bending forward and grabbing her stomach. Kevin helps her stand and then a splash sounds. Peter makes a face and Thea punches his shoulder. 

“Thea! I need you to help me!” Shannon calls from inside the house. Thea rushes in. 

“Shannon no! I am having this baby in a hospital. Just like I had Laura and Philip in the hospital.” Talia has to stop walking as another contraction hits her. She groans and squeezes her stomach. 

“I trained for this!” Shannon yells back. Stiles covers his mouth to keep from laughing. Once he’s sure he won’t start cackling he goes to Talia’s other side and helps Kevin get her inside. 

“Talia your contractions are a minute apart. I don’t think you’d even make it to the hospital. You’d end up having him in the car.” Kevin tries to sooth her. Shannon comes running into the kitchen. Her arms full of towels and a plastic shopping bag.

“I told you,” She pauses for a breath, “I trained for this.” She puts the stuff down on the kitchen island and Thea comes in carrying a large bowl with a smaller towel in it. 

“You are not delivering my baby!” Talia grunts at the end, another contraction. 

“Too late sis! This baby is coming now!” Shannon laughs and stacks the towels on the table. 

“Help me get her up.” Shannon is pulling on a pair of gloves. Thea filled the bowl with water and set it on top of the island. Stiles and Kevin get Talia up onto the table, they stand on either side of her hold her hands. She squeezes their hands tight as another contraction hits her. 

“Kevin! I hate you for this!” She screams and bends forward, her eyes screwed shut. 

Shannon is standing at Talia’s legs rolling her dress up. Thea is spreading out some things on the island. That weird squeezy thing they use to unclog the baby's nose. A pair of clippers for the umbilical cord. A hand towel next to the bowl and a blanket to wrap the baby in. It hits Stiles then that he’s about to be present for Derek Hale’s birthday. He snorts which then turns into a grunt as Talia squeezes his hand again. 

“Ah, breakable human here.” He bows into her. 

“And I'm pushing a kid out of me!” Talia screams at him. Kevin laughs and Talia starts yelling at him. He’s still smiling down at her with a fond smile on his face. 

The delivery only takes ten minutes. Peter and Lincoln stay outside on the deck. Watching just in case anything goes wrong. Thea eventually moves and trades places with Stiles. Talia said if he complained about her breaking his hand one more time he wouldn’t have to worry about it being broken because she’d kill him. So that then meant that when a squishy, blood and gook covered Derek, came screaming out of Talia; Shannon cut the umbilical cord and handed him to Stiles. 

When Stiles was twelve he’d been curious about childbirth so after one too many videos and research pages he was semi-versed on home childbirth. He cradled the pink baby in his arms and walked over to the bowl. Talia still had to push out the placenta which Stiles read was pretty much like delivering another kid. Stiles cleaned up baby Derek and wrapped him up in the baby blue blanket with yellow ducks all over it. Derek had stopped crying once in the water and simply stared up at Stiles. He cradles Derek close to his chest and ducks down to place a kiss on his still pink cheeks. 

“You are going to grow up so loved. I can’t wait to see you in the future.” He whispers as he bounces back in forth in a half rock. Derek gurgles and pokes at Stiles' face. 

“Yes you are.” Stiles cooed at him. Derek’s face split into a toothless smile. Stiles laughed and cupped Derek’s head. A full head of dark hair. 

Stiles felt a sudden pull in his chest. He stood up straight and furrowed his brow. The pull grew until it was almost painful. 

“Peter.” Stiles said in a slightly breathless tone. Said wolf walked into the house and stood next to Stiles. Stiles shifted Derek in his arms and handed him to Peter. 

“Guys.” Stiles called looking down at his hands. They were transparent and slowly disappearing. His arms going as well. The rest of the pack watch with pinches faces. 

“Talia don’t forget what I told you. About Paige and Kate-”

And just like that Stiles was gone.

For Stiles it felt like blinking. One moment he was standing in the Hale kitchen/dining room staring at a sweaty Talia Hale. Shannon covered in blood and other stuff Stiles really didn’t want to think about. Thea and Kevin flanking Talia. Handing off baby Derek to Peter. The next he was opening his eyes and to the harsh lights of a hospital. He blinked a few time’s shaking his head. He pushed up into a seated position. He had an IV in his arm and leads attached to his chest. Dressed in a hospital gown with the blankets pulled up to his chest. He sat fully up in the bed as his dad walked in. Dressed in normal clothes holding a to-go cup of coffee. Which he almost dropped when he saw Stiles. 

“Stiles! Thank god!” He sighed and leaned out of the room calling for a nurse. 

“Hey, dad.” His voice was scratchy and his throat hurt when he talked. There was a water pitcher sitting next to the bed which he made use of and poured a cup. 

The nurse came in with wide eyes and a chart in her hand. She checked him over and wrote down his vitals. Telling them that the doctor would be in soon. 

“What the hell happened?” Stiles asked once the nurse left the room. His dad stared at him for a few moments.

“Why don’t you tell me what you remember Stiles.” The sheriff sat down in the chair pulled up next to the bed. 

“I was driving to meet Scott and the rest of the pack at that pizza place downtown.” Stiles scratched the back of his neck figuring he should leave out the part with the ghost wolf. 

“Pack? What are you on about?” His dad looked at him funnily before shaking his head and sighing. 

“Stiles’s you’ve been gone for a little more than a month. You just disappeared. We couldn't find any traces of you. Scott and Allison were walking through the preserve two days ago and they found you. You were passed out in the middle of the forest. They called me and an ambulance. The doctor’s said you were in a sort of coma since but they couldn’t figure out what had caused it.” The sheriff shakes his head and sighs again. Stiles can see the dark circles under his eyes. 

“Wait did you say Allison?” Stiles breath hitches and his heart rate picks up pace. Ringing loudly on the monitor. 

“Yeah, you know, Scott’s girlfriend?” The sheriff’s brows pinch together and he looks ready to go call the nurse back. 

Allison was still alive. Stiles pitches forward, bowing in on himself. He groans and clutches his head as pain explodes behind his eyes. Memories flash through his mind. Of reading in the paper about how someone named Kate Argent had been arrested for trying to burn down the Hale house. About the Hale girl who owned the flower shop, Shannon Hale, was always extra nice to Stiles. About seeing Talia Hale once in the grocery store when he was twelve, the woman looking ready to cry. Of Scott saying how beautiful the new girl was. The second set of memories settles in next to Stiles's old ones. Of Jackson as the Kanima. Of Gerard Argent beating him up. Watching Derek having to kill Boyd. Allison dying. He has both sets of memories. Clear as day in his head, a clear distinction between the both. He sits up and see’s a few drops of blood on the blanket. Reaching up and wiping at the blood that was dripping from his nose. 

“Stiles?” His dad rest’s a hand on his shoulder. Stiles looks up at him and smiles.

“I’m good dad.” 

The doctor comes in and goes over Stiles's stats. Asks him his name and who’s president. The sheriff tells the doctor about the nosebleed and Stiles assures them he’s fine and would very much like to go home. The doctor seems hesitant but says that a nurse will be in with his release forms. 

The sheriff drives Stiles home and they have lunch together. The sheriff has to go back into work, say’s he’s been taking time off the past three days to be with Stiles. Once the sheriff is gone Stiles speeds through a shower and dresses. Grabbing his keys that are sitting on his desk and diving for the jeep. Breaking at least three traffic laws getting to the Hale house. Stiles is breathing heavy by the time he parks next to a familiar black Camaro. He jumps up the steps of the porch, a sense of deja vu. Practically punches a hole through the door as he knocks. They have to remember him. His memories are filled with weird looks from the Hale family as he grew up. Cora answers the door and sneers at him. 

“Stilinski, what are you doing at my house?” Cora held the door in her hand so he couldn’t squeeze past her. 

“Hey, Cora. Can I come in?” Stiles asked twining his fingers together. 

“No?” She asked like it was the obvious answer. 

“Cora. Don’t be rude, let the boy in.” And oh my god, that was Laura. Fully grown, not cut in half, no longer wearing butterfly one piece’s Laura. Stiles stares at her with wide eyes. It was just the other day he had he perched in his lap laughing. 

“Have we met?” She’s smiling but her forehead is creased. 

“Something like that.” Stiles breathes under his breath as he walks further into the house. There's a new couch in the living room and a new dining room table, which that’s no surprise. The floor in the kitchen and dining room is hardwood now instead of the original tile he had seen. There are more pictures up on the walls. Of people he doesn’t recognize. Shannon and Thea come in through the back door laughing and damp. They pause when they see him. 

“Who was at the door?” Derek comes down from upstairs. 

“Oh my god.” Thea chokes on a laugh and runs towards Stiles.

She slams into him and clings to him. He wraps his arms around her and squeezes as hard as he can. Out of all of them, he had gotten the closes with Thea. When she finally pulls back, tear tracks on her face, Shannon is next. She has an inch on him and folds Stiles into her arms. Scenting him like it wasn’t a big deal like she hadn’t been able to do this in twenty-four years. Lincoln comes in through the back yard with a frown on his face. Probably wondering what was taking the girls so long. A grin splits across his face. 

“Stiles!” He laughs. 

“Lincoln, my man you’re still around!” Stiles laughs as Lincoln pulls him in for a one armed bro hug. He’s got a beer in the other hand. He holds up his hand and Stiles can see the silver wedding band. 

“Two years after you, uh, left.” Lincoln offers him another smile and pats his back. 

Laura, Cora, and Derek are joined by Philip who came in through the front door when Lincoln had come into the house. All four siblings watching their aunts and uncle in confusion. Peter come into the house then, in his wolf form. His ears perk up when he sees Stiles. 

“That’s ou-” Derek starts to say. 

“Peter!” Stiles chirps out and drops to his knees. Peter’s tongue rolls out of his mouth as he trots up to the teen and barrels into his chest, almost knocking Stiles over. Stiles scrubs his hands through Peter’s wet coat and the gray wolf licks his face happily. Stiles laughs and shoves the wolf away. 

Another man and two more women walk through the door, confused looks on their faces. A gray-haired Kevin follows after that with two kids hanging from his arms. He squints at Stiles before gently placing the kids down and walking up to Stiles. He folds Stiles in for a long hug and smiles into the teen's shoulder. 

“You look so old.” Stiles mutters into his chest and smiles. 

“Talia is going to be so happy to see you.” Kevin whispers back. 

“Can someone explain to me what’s going on?” Cora has her arms folded over her chest. 

“Kevin is that-” Talia walks through the door then. Bumping the door into Philip’s shoulder. Her purse falls from her arm and a hand creeps up to cover her agape mouth. Tears well in her eyes. 

“Stiles, honey,” She sniffles and carefully moves Philip to the side so she can get to Stiles. Her hug is much different from the others. She cradles the back of his head with her one head, the other wrapping around his back. It’s such a motherly hug that Stiles’s eyes prick with tears.

“You did well. You did so much good.” She whispered to him but their in a room that’s ninety percent supernatural hearing so really. 

“Mom?” Laura asks taking a step closer. She still has a look in her eyes like she’s trying to remember Stiles. 

“Right. Right,” Talia pulls back and wipes her eyes. 

“Cora, you know Stiles.” Talia looks at her children. 

“Is this that annoying kid you were telling me about?” Derek looks at his youngest sister. 

“Dude, I was the first to hold you when you were born.” Stiles snorts from his spot under Thea’s arm. Derek blushes hard and Shannon snorts. 

“Cora was born in a hospital.” Shannon mutters from Stiles's other side. 

“All that training and you only got to birth Derek.” Stiles showed faux disappointment for Shannon. 

“Can someone fill us in on what’s going on?” Philip ask’s.

“He has residual magic around him. Strong, old magic. I’ve never seen something like this attached to a person.” One of the women who had come inside says. Stiles looks at her and Shannon goes to stand next to her, the woman wrapping an arm around Shannon’s waist. 

“Stiles, this is my wife Olivia. She’s a white witch.” Shannon smiles up at the woman with a fond look in her eyes. 

“Yeah, that’d be because up till two days ago I was in 1992.”

Stiles finds out that the other woman is Peter’s wife, Felicia and that the two kids are theirs. Stephanie who is seven and Caleb who is a year younger. All three are werewolves. The other man is Laura’s fiance, Thomas, who is human. Stiles also finds out Thea is two months pregnant. They all sit down outside and talk. They explain that Stiles came from a different timeline where his life was completely different than the one he’s in right now. 

“How different?” Laura asked. 

“The whole Hale family was dead. Only you, Derek, Peter and Cora were alive. The only time I had actually met you was when I dug up half your body.” Stiles deadpanned. 

Shannon goes and digs out an old photo album. Showing them a black and white photo of Stiles. The timestamp on the bottom of the picture says June 28, 1992. He looks exactly the same. Shannon shows them another photo, one Stiles’s hadn’t known she’d taken. It was the same night of the grill out they had. Peter has his head in Stiles lap and Laura is curled up against Stiles' chest. Stiles has one hand on Peter’s head and the other cradled against Laura. He’s looking up at Talia smiling wide. 

“So that’s why you feel so familiar.” Laura snaps her fingers and giggles. 

Thea and Lincoln recant the story about Thea being taken by hunters. How it was basically thanks to Stiles that there had been no bloodshed. 

“I’m just really good at lying.” Stiles had shrugged off. 

Shannon cuts in and tells an epic version of when Derek was born. Derek groaning and complaining ‘not again Aunt Shan’. Stiles laughed when she got to the part about Talia screaming at Kevin. 

“And then Thea had to take Stiles's place because your mother really might have broken his hand. You came out, all pink and screaming, he cleaned you up and you instantly stopped crying. It was so sweet.” Shannon cooed. The table went silent. 

“Then he just slowly started to fade from existence.” Kevin finished for them. 

“We were all so worried that something went wrong causing your birth to never happen because of the way you disappeared.” 

“And then yous saw me for the first time in the grocery store. Right?” Stiles points a finger at Talia who nods her head. 

“You have a very distinct smell. I instantly recognized it when you and that woman came into the store.” She had been talking about Melissa. 

“Huh. I wonder what it was.” Stiles sat back in his chair and pursed his lips. 

“What, what was?” Peter asked placing a kiss on Felicia’s knuckles. 

“Deaton had said the Nemeton had sent me back for a reason. I had assumed it was to warn you guys about the fire and about Paige. But that day you all went to the beach I told Talia about it all. I was still with you for another week or so.” Stiles tilted his head. 

“You were with us until Derek was born.” Shannon supplied with a thoughtful look on her face. All heads swiveled to Derek who was smiling down at the photo album. He looked up and laughed. 

“What?” 

“You smiling is something that is going to take a very long time to get used to.” Stiles tipped his chair back and kept it balanced on two legs, staring at Derek. 

A few weeks pass with Stiles becoming a permanent fixture at the Hale house. It was like time was picking up right where it left off. Derek’s twenty-fourth birthday was two days prior to him showing up at the Hale house when Stiles had been found in the preserve. Stiles finds out that Allison knows about werewolves. But that when she and her dad moved back to Beacon Hills they were already retired. Scott was still human and completely oblivious to all that is supernatural about their town. Jackson is still a douchecanoe and dating Lydia who, in this time is out about how smart she is. Isaac, Erica, and Boyd are all set to receive the bite after they graduate. Stiles hugs Talia when she tells him that. 

It’s the beginning of August when Derek finds Stiles standing in front of the Nemeton. Derek is dressed in a pair of basketball shorts and sans shirt. Stopping a few feet behind Stiles and huffing in air. 

“Mom was right. You do have a unique smell.” Derek says once he stands up straight. And runs a hand through his hair. 

“Yeah? What do I smell like?” Stiles asks still staring at the tree. Because it’s not a giant stump, it’s a tree. Not all that tall, more grown outwards. Like a cherry blossom tree. It’s a full grown tree with branches and leaves and alive. 

“Sweet like flowers and sugar but an undertone of nature.” Derek says as he leans against a tree watching Stiles. 

Stiles reaches out and places a hand flat against the tree. He get’s flashes of a young Laura playing in front of the tree. Of a toddler, Derek babbling up at the tree. A young teen Cora climbs the branches. The tree hums under his fingers and Stiles smiles. He thinks it’s a thank you. He lets his hand drop and turns back to look at Derek. 

“Do you still remember things from the other timeline?” 

“Yeah. I remember everything from then but I also remember things from this timeline. It’s weird, like two sets of memories. Both real.” Stiles uses his hands as he talks, walking away from the Nemeton. 

The two take their time walking back to the Hale house. Derek asks him things about the other timeline he lived. Asks him what the other Derek was like. But really they are still the same person. That version of Derek had just lived a much harder life than this one. Stiles keeps that thought to himself. He asks Derek about his life. What he did after high school and if he still lives at the house. He does and he’s a writer. Which weirdly suits Derek the more Stiles thinks about it. Derek is much happier, Stiles can see it clear as day. It’s not exactly satisfaction that Stiles feels because he didn’t change the future just for Derek, but it’s a close feeling.

Laura had watched the boy approach the tree she once played in front of as a child. A tree she had only fond memories of before they were forced to cut it down. The boy was wary and afraid. She could smell the fear on him and see how tense his body was. As soon as he made contact with the tree she smiled and jumped off. Her wolf form changing back to her once human form. Naked as the day she was born. A small scar on her hip from a wolfsbane burn she had gotten as a teenager. The boy was good. Under all that he was she could smell his spark. It was just what the nemeton needed. It was just what they needed. She hoped anyway. The white light flashed and the boy disappeared. She smiled as her body fell back into the wolf and she took off into the preserve. The boy was sent back to Laura’s earliest memories. Of a fast heartbeat and a pack member, she hadn’t known was missing. 

As the ghost trots away her body starts to fade and the Nemeton slowly starts regrowing. 

-Five Years Later- 

“Scott! You’ve fixed your tie three times already, it’s fine.” Stiles smacked his best friends hands away from his tie. Adjusting himself before patting his shoulder. 

“Stiles what if I drop the ring, what if I forget my lines. Stiles, what if I cry?” Scott moved on to fiddling with the cuffs of his shirt. 

“Oh, you’re definitely gonna cry. I’ve seen Allison in her dress. She’s absolutely stunning.” Stiles smacked his hand again and pulled up his suspenders. 

“Not helping.” Scott whined. 

“It’s gonna be fine. Everything is gonna be just fine. You love the girl and she loves you. Nothing else matters.” Stiles claps his shoulders and gives him a shake. 

“Thanks Stiles.”

Scott did in fact cry when he saw Allison in her dress walking down the aisle. Stiles laughed and Scott punched him. Lydia, Erica, Cora and one of Allison’s cousins all looked beautiful in the dark purple dresses. Stiles, Boyd, Isaac and surprisingly Jackson were all in simple dress slacks with a white button down. Navy blue suspenders as the other color. The whole thing was held in a large clearing right by the Hale house. A large false floor laid down to act as a dance floor. Tables set up with forgotten plates of food. An open bar was the best decision Scott had made. There was a large cooler tucked behind the bar with wolfsbane laced alcohol for all the wolves. The whole Hale family was in attendance. Talia had bitten Scott last year after a particularly bad asthma attack put him in the hospital. Stiles kept the whole true alpha thing under wraps, hoping that with Scott already joining the Hale pack it wouldn’t happen. 

“Penny for your thoughts?” Derek stood right behind Stiles. Chest and back brushing. Stiles hummed and pressed into Derek. 

“Nothing of importance.”

“Were you thinking about the past?” They had taken to calling the other life Stiles had lived as just ‘the past’ because that’s what it was now. The past. This was his life now and he loved it. 

“It’s fine.” Stiles turned around and Derek’s arms circled around him. Derek raised a brow at him.

“Seriously. This is my life now and it’s a much better life.” A few weeks after waking up in the hospital all his scar’s had started to fade. The kanji behind his ear the last to go. 

“Even with the other me?” Derek pinched his waist. 

“I don’t think anything would have come of that. He-the other you-was so full of pain and anger and I don’t think it would have ever gone away. Not with what he had been through. I don’t think we would have ever become anything other than acquaintances by force. I don’t think I ever would have loved him.” Stiles pressed a chaste kiss to Derek's lips. The wolf hummed and tightened his arms. Drawing him in for a deeper kiss. 

“I’m glad you changed things.” Derek whispers against his temple. 

They stay in their own little bubble. Away from the rest of the party. Swaying to the soft music playing. Stiles hummed in agreement and rested his head over Derek’s heart. 

“Stiles! Stop making out with my brother and come dance with me!” Laura yells from somewhere in the masses. 

“Yes your highness!” Stiles yells back as he pulls away from Derek laughing. Derek laces their fingers together and Stiles drags them onto the dance floor. 

Yeah, Stiles is really glad a mystical tree sent him back in time and that he changed the future. Really glad. 

 

-Fin-


End file.
